1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for 5 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 1: It's always a joy to come into your homes, and 7 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: if you're ever in our area, please stop by and 8 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: be a part of one of our services. I promise 9 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: you we'll make you feel right at home. These are 10 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: the finest people in all of Houston, Texas, right here 11 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: at Lakewood. Thanks for tuning in and thank you again 12 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: for coming out. I like to start with something funny, 13 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: and I heard about this husband and wife. They'd been 14 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: arguing for a long time about who should make the 15 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: coffee in the morning. The husband thought it was the 16 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: wife's job, but she just didn't agree. After several heated debates, 17 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: she finally said to her husband, I can prove to 18 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: you from the Bible that is the man's job to 19 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: make the coffee. He said, what are you talking about. 20 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: I just nothing in the Bible about the man making 21 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: the coffee. She said, sure, there is. She opened her 22 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: Bible and pointed to the Book of Hebrews. Hold up 23 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: your Bible, say it like you mean it. This is 24 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: my Bible. I am what it says. I am. I 25 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: have what it says I have. I can do what 26 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: it says I can do. Today I will be taught 27 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 28 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 29 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 30 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: to you today about living large. We weren't created to 31 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: live a small life with little goals, little dreams, little influence. 32 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: God created us to live an abundant life. No matter 33 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: what level you're at, you're not supposed to get stuck 34 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: and stay there. God is a god of increase. He 35 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: has something bigger in your future. And if you're going 36 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: to live this large life, it starts in our thinking. 37 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: Jesus said, you can't put new wine into old wine skins. 38 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: Wine skins were made out of leather. When they got old, 39 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: they became hard and stiff, wouldn't expand if you put 40 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: new wine in, they would burst. Jesus was saying, you 41 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: can't have a new life with old at thinking. You 42 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: can't go around thinking you've reached your limits. You've gone 43 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: as far as you can. You never get any good breaks. 44 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 1: Limited thinking will cause you to live a limited life. 45 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: Get rid of that old wine skin. Start thinking bigger, 46 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: believing bigger, expecting bigger. You are full of possibility. You 47 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: have seeds of greatness. There is untapped potential in you 48 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: right now, and one of the biggest battles that we 49 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: all face is the battle of containment. The enemy can't 50 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: do anything about the grounds you've already gained. He can't 51 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 1: make you go backwards, but he'll do everything he can 52 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: to try to keep you from going forward. His goal 53 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: is to convince you to settle where you are. He'll 54 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: tell us things like you'll never be able to afford 55 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: that how you really want, just accept it. You'll never 56 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: get well you saw the medical report. Or you'll never 57 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 1: meet the right person. It's been too long. This is 58 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: as good as it gets. Don't believe those lives. He 59 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't be fighting you so hard unless he knew God 60 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: had something amazing in your future. You may not see 61 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: how it can happen, but one touch of God's favor 62 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: can catapult you to a new level. Paul said in 63 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: second Corinthian six. I want you to enter in to 64 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: this wide open, spacious life. The smallness you feel comes 65 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: from within. Your lives are not small, but you're living 66 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: them in a small way. Notice God's dream is that 67 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: we live a wide open, spacious life. But even though 68 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: God has this big life plan and out, if we 69 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: have limited thinking, we can live it in a small way. 70 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: And it's easy to get stuck in the rut just 71 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: going to work and coming home, dealing with the daily 72 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: pressures of life. We look up and we're not expecting 73 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: anything better, not releasing our faith, thinking this is all 74 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: there is. But compared to what God has planned, we're 75 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 1: living small on a regular basis. You have to stir 76 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: up your faith, stir up your gifts, stir up your passions. 77 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: You have not seen your best days. God has a 78 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: wide life for you, much bigger than your living. Whatever 79 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: level you're at, don't get stuck and stay there. May 80 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 1: feel big to you. You're blessed your content, but in 81 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: God's eyes, it's a small place. He has new horizons 82 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,239 Speaker 1: for you to explore, new dreams, new talents, new opportunities. 83 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: The scripture puts it this way. The path of the 84 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: righteous gets brighter and brighter. God's idea is that our 85 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: lives get bigger and bigger, more influence, more opportunity, more resources. 86 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 1: You may feel stuck. You haven't seen this happen. But 87 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: this is a new day. Things are about to turn 88 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: in your favor. If you'll get your hopes up start 89 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: expecting God's goodness, You're going to come into a bigger life, 90 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: to a new level of your destiny. See for years, 91 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: I thought I was living a big life. I was happy, 92 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: a beautiful wife, good job, I loved working behind the 93 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: scenes here at Lakewood. Didn't seem like it could get 94 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: any better than that. But when my dad went to 95 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: be with the Lord and I stepped up to pasture 96 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: the church, God began to open new doors, brought talent 97 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: out of me that I didn't know I had, helped 98 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: me to write books, gave us the former Compact center, 99 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: taking me places that I've never dreamed of. Looking back now, 100 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: I realized what I thought was big was not big 101 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: at all. God's idea of living large is much different 102 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: than ours. You may have seen God's blessings in the past. 103 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: You need to get ready. You haven't seen anything yet 104 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: where God is going to take you. The doors he's 105 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: going to open, the people you're going to meet, The promotion, 106 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 1: the good breaks, the influence is going to supersede anything 107 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: you've imagined. God's prepared a wide, spacious life for you. Now. 108 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: My challenge is, don't live with a small mentality. Don't 109 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 1: water down your dreams accepting less when you know God 110 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: has created you for more. You said, Joel, I'm doing okay, 111 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: can't complain. Got a roof over my head, got a job, 112 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: I'm making it and that's good. We should be grateful, 113 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: we should be content. What I'm saying is, don't settle there. 114 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: Don't let that become permanent in your thinking. I've learned 115 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: if we live in mediocrity long enough, it can become 116 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: normal to us to where we think that's all there is. 117 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: If you see lack dysfunction, struggle addictions on a regular basis, 118 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: it can become ingrained in you where you think that's 119 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: the way it's supposed to be. We adapt to our environment. 120 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: If you take a fish that's supposed to grow to 121 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: two feet long and you put him in a small aquarium, 122 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: that fish will never become what it was created to be, 123 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: not because there's something wrong with the fish. But because 124 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: of the environment that is in you may be in 125 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: a limited environment right now. Perhaps you can't do anything 126 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: about that. The key is don't let the environment get 127 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: in you. Don't let mediocrity become the norm. That may 128 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: be where you are, but that is not who you are. 129 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: You are a child of the most High God, the 130 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: creator of the universe, has breathed his life into you. 131 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: Let these words sink down into your spirit. A wide open, 132 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: spacious life. That means a life free from addictions in 133 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: bad habits, a life where you're happy, healthy, whole, fulfilled. 134 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: A life of abundance, more than enough, and overflow life. See. 135 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: The enemy wants to contain you, but God wants to 136 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: enlarge you. Break out in your thinking, stay open to 137 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 1: new possibilities. One time in the scripture, Peter had been 138 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: fishing all night. The next morning, Jesus came to him 139 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: and asked him if he could borrow his boat to 140 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: teach the people from the shores. When he finished teaching, 141 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 1: he wanted to pay Peter for the use of his boat. 142 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: He said to Peter, launch out into the deep and 143 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: let down your nets nets with an s plural Well, 144 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: Peter began to reason it out, said Jesus. We fished 145 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: all night, we didn't catch anything. Morning's not the best 146 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 1: time to fish. He came up with excuse after excuse, 147 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: almost talked himself out of it. The last moment he 148 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: decided to go ahead and do it. But the scripture 149 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: says Peter went out and let down his net singular. 150 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: In other words, Jesus said, Peter, I've got an abundant 151 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: life for you. I've got a wide, spacious life. But 152 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: Peter thought, I it's not gonna happen for me. There's 153 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: no fish out there. I never get any good breaks. 154 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: So he went out and let down his net. He 155 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: caught so many fish that it began to break. But 156 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: a lot of times were like Peter, God says, I 157 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: want you to live a big life, an abundant, fulfilled 158 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: life where you're gaining new ground. I want to take 159 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: you where you've never been, show you influence, favor, good 160 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: breaks that you've never seen. But there is a catch. 161 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: You have to let down your nets. You have to 162 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: make room for it in your thinking. You can't think small, 163 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:02,719 Speaker 1: believe small, expect small, and to live this large life. 164 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: If you just let down your net thinking, God, help 165 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: me survive, Help me to make it through this month, 166 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: Help me to live with this addiction. Help me to 167 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: maintain where I am. You will miss the fullness of 168 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: what God has in store. Why don't you start letting 169 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: down your nets? Why don't you say God, I'm in 170 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 1: agreement with you. I believe you have a wide open, spacious, 171 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: abundant life in store for me. So I'm gonna believe 172 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: that my whole family is going to serve you. I'm 173 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: gonna believe that I'm gonna come out of debt, be 174 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: a blessing to others, believe, and to start my business, 175 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: to build that orphanage, to meet the person of my dreams. 176 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 1: If you'll start letting down your nets, God will open 177 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: doors that you could never open, bring the right people 178 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: across your path. He'll take you where you've never dreamed. 179 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: But too often we let how we were raised. What 180 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: we saw model growing up set the limits for our life. 181 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: If our parents had addictions, bad habits. Are the people 182 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: that raised us lived in lack and mediocrity. We think 183 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: that's our lot in life. People tell me, Joel, I've 184 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: gone as far as my parents, I've accomplished as much 185 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: as my grandparents. I'm doing good enough. No. God is 186 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: a progressive god. He wants every generation to increase. Your parents, 187 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: your relatives, they laid the foundation. You're not supposed to 188 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: settle there. You're supposed to build off of what they did. 189 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: That's not a resting place where you can put down 190 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: your stakes. That's a stepping stone for you to rise higher, 191 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: a launching pad for you to go further. Don't get 192 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: comfortable and settled there. And yes, you may have seen 193 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: some mediocrity growing up, but God is counting on you 194 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: to be the difference maker. In other words, maybe nobody 195 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: in your family made good grades in school. You be 196 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: the one to make good grades. Maybe none of them 197 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: went to college, You be the one to go to college. 198 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: They didn't live in a nice house, that's okay. They 199 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: did the best they could with what they had. But 200 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: don't you settle there. You have more advantages than they had. 201 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: You have more wisdom, you have more opportunity. There is 202 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: more available to you. Your relatives may have let down 203 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: their net singular, but the good news is you know better. 204 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: You can let down your nets. You can dream bigger, 205 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: you can believe bigger, Start living large, Start taking steps 206 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: of faith, stretching, growing, learning. There's a wide, spacious life 207 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: prepared for you. I saw a documentary about a professional thief. 208 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: This man was extremely intelligent. The way he planned his 209 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: burglaries was very fascinating. He used incredible strategy. For twenty 210 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: one years, he burglarized homes without being caught. He never 211 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: heard anyone. He would only do it if the peaceeople 212 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 1: weren't there. The police were so frustrated they brought in 213 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: federal agents. Some of the most skilled detectives around still 214 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: couldn't catch him. After twenty one years, because of this fluke, 215 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: he was caught. And this man did not look like 216 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: a thief. He looked like a typical middle class business person. 217 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: The police were very puzzled. They asked him, with all 218 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: of your talent, your expertise, your skill, why did you 219 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: choose a life of crime. I'll never forget his answer. 220 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: He said, this is all that I know how to do. 221 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: He went on to tell how he came out of 222 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: a dysfunctional family and other relatives were involved in the 223 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,839 Speaker 1: same type of things. What was his problem? He had 224 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: been raised in a limited environment. He made the mistake 225 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: of letting the environment get in him. He saw this 226 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: function growing up and thought that was his slot in life. 227 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: And like that fish in a small aquarium, there was 228 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with him. He had the talent, the intellect. 229 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: God had a wide life plan for him, but because 230 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 1: of limited thinking, he was living it in a small way. 231 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: Don't let how you were raised or even the environment 232 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: you're in right now. Convince you to settle where you are. 233 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 1: Get rid of that old wine skin. I wanted to 234 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: say to this man, if you could successfully steal for 235 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: twenty one years, out smarting some of the brightest minds around, 236 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: don't you think you could run your own business. Don't 237 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: you think you could earn your master's degree. Don't you 238 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: think that you could help businesses develop strategies to grow, 239 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: use your gifts for productive purposes. Had a young man 240 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: tell me after the service a while back how the 241 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: only thing he knew how to do was sell drugs. 242 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: He came out of a rough neighborhood, dropped out of 243 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: high school, His parents were never around, a lot of 244 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: odds were against him. He said, Joel, I don't like 245 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: doing it. I know it's not right, but I don't 246 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: have any special skills. This is the only way I 247 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: know how to make a living. I said, now you're 248 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: selling yourself short. You're smarter than you think. Selling drugs 249 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: is not the only thing you can do. Think about this. 250 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: If you can sell drugs, you have to know how 251 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: to market your product. That's marketing. You have to know 252 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: how to get the word out. That's advertising. You have 253 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: to take care of your clients, that's customer service. You 254 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: have to know when to sell when not to sell. 255 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: That's a management decision. The truth is, if you can 256 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: sell drugs, you can sell stocks and bonds. You can 257 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: sell medical equipment, you can sell electronics. God has a 258 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: big life waiting for you. He has a purpose for 259 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: you to fulfill, an assignment for you to accomplish. He's 260 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: put the right gifts and talents in you. He's already 261 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: lined up the right people, the right opportunities. Here's the key. 262 00:15:55,640 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: Don't let your heredity stop your destiny. Don't let what 263 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: was passed down to you keep you down. Break out 264 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: of a limited mindset. There is greatness in you. Your 265 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: destiny is calling out. It's time to start living large. 266 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: And if you'll start throwing out your nets, having a 267 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: bigger vision, believing that you're well able like Peter, You'll 268 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: come into a great haul. God will amaze you with 269 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: his goodness. This is what my father had to do. 270 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: He was raised in a limited environment. His parents were 271 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: cotton farmers. They lost everything during the Great Depression. They 272 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: didn't have enough food to eat. My dad would go 273 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: to high school with holes in his pants, holes in 274 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: his shoes. This poverty mentality had become ingrained in his thinking. 275 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: We're poor, We're defeated. This is all I'll ever have. 276 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: This is my lot in life. That's all he had 277 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: ever seen. He didn't know any better. But at seventeen 278 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: years of age, my dad gave his life to Christ. 279 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: God called him to be a minister. Something came alive 280 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: on the inside. Those seeds of greatness began to take root. 281 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: He heard a voice saying, this is not your destiny. 282 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: You are not made to live a defeated life, but 283 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: rather an overcoming, victorious, fulfilling life. There's something more in store. 284 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: In his mind, this battle of containment was taking place, 285 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: negative voices telling him just the opposite. This is all 286 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 1: there is. You'll never get out, just accept it. His parents, 287 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: my grandparents, were very loving people, kind, hard working people, 288 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 1: but they had a limited vision. They were living a 289 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:43,719 Speaker 1: small life. They said, John, you better not leave the farm. 290 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: All you know how to do is pick cotton. He 291 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,880 Speaker 1: could have thought, yeah, you're right. I don't have the education, 292 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: the talent, the connections, the money. I better just stay here. No, 293 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: don't let people put their limitations on you. Something rose 294 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,919 Speaker 1: up in my father. He said, this is where I 295 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,719 Speaker 1: I am, but this is not who I am. I 296 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: may be in a limited environment, but I'm not gonna 297 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: let this environment get in me. I know I'm a 298 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: child of the most High God. I'm destined to leave 299 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: my mark on this generation. He started throwing out his nets, 300 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: believing he could take new ground for his family, believing 301 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: to step into the wide open, spacious life. And seventeen 302 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: he left home. And that's just what happened. God opened 303 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: up big doors. He pastored great churches, touched people all 304 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: over the world. God took him places that he never imagined. 305 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: Here's the beauty because he stepped up and broke that 306 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: poverty mentality. Now, my family, my brother, my sisters, we 307 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: don't have to deal with it like my father. You 308 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 1: can be the one to break the cycle of lack 309 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: and defeat in your family. You can break the addictions, 310 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: the bad habits. You can rise to a new level 311 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: and go where no one in your family has ever gone. 312 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: There's a large life waiting for you. Don't stay contained, 313 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: don't talk yourself out of it. If you'll think bigger, 314 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 1: you'll live bigger. I saw an experiment that was done 315 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: with four monkeys. They placed them in a room with 316 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: a large pole in the center. The top of the 317 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: pole was a bunch of bananas. The first monkey hurried 318 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: up the pole so excited couldn't wait to get a banana. 319 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: But just when he is about to reach for one, 320 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: a large bucket of cold water was poured on him. 321 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 1: He scurried down that pole as fast as he could. 322 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: He didn't want to have anything to do with those bananas. 323 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: Few minutes the second monkey went up, same thing happened, 324 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: poured the cold water on him, He turned around, ran back. 325 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 1: Over the next hour, the other two monkeys went up, 326 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: but once again they were doused with water came running 327 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: back down. Day after day went by. Even though those 328 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: monkeys loved bananas, they wouldn't dare go up that pole. 329 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: At that point, the researchers removed one monkey and brought 330 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: a new monkey in This new monkey started going up 331 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: the pole. When he did, the other three monkeys grabbed him, 332 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: pulled him down, wouldn't let him go up. He tried 333 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 1: again and again and again they wouldn't let him. Finally 334 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 1: he gave up, quit trying. Researchers brought in another monkey, 335 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: removed an original, same thing. When he went up, the 336 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: three other monkeys grabbed him. Eventually, the room was filled 337 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: with dozens of monkeys, none of them the original. None 338 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: of them had felt the dowsing of water, but not 339 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: one of them would go up that pole. They didn't 340 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: know why. They just knew they couldn't have those bananas. 341 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 1: Sometimes we're like these monkeys. We don't know why we 342 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: can't do something great, why we can't accomplish the dream, 343 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: why we can't break an addiction. All we know is 344 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: nobody of our family has done it. Now they're pulling 345 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: us down, telling us how we can't be successful, throwing 346 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:01,959 Speaker 1: water on our passion. Generation after generation being limited, pulled 347 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: down because of wrong thinking. My message today is very simple, 348 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 1: Go get your bananas. Somebody may have told you you 349 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: can't do it. Nobody in your family did it. Daddy 350 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: didn't do it. Granddaddy didn't do it. Great granddaddy didn't 351 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: do it. That's okay. This is a new day. You're 352 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 1: the difference maker. Rise up and go get what belongs 353 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: to you. Quit letting people pull you down. Your friends, 354 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: your relatives, your coworkers. They may mean well, but God 355 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: didn't put the dream in them. He put the dream 356 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: in you. Don't let them talk you out of it. 357 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: Don't settle where you are because everybody around you is stuck. 358 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: Go get your bananas, get me one while you're there. 359 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: You got to learn how to encourage yourself. You can't 360 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: rely on people to keep you built up and cheer 361 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: your own. Sometimes people will let you down. They'll try 362 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: to keep you the same level. They may not see 363 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: what you can see. Paul said in Romans three, what 364 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: if they don't believe? Will their unbelief make the faith 365 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,199 Speaker 1: of God of no effect? One version says, so what 366 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: if they don't believe? Just because somebody doesn't believe that 367 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 1: you can do what God put in your heart, that 368 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: doesn't change anything. You don't have to have everybody on board. 369 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: You're never going to get all your relatives, friends, coworkers 370 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: to cheer you on and support you In fact, sometimes, 371 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: and I say this respectfully, they'll be like these monkeys. 372 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: They'll tell you really think you can do that, you 373 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: really think you can break that addiction, start that business, 374 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: write that book. I don't think so nobody can climb 375 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: that pole. Your attitude should be again, respectfully, sow what 376 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: if they don't believe? I don't need their encouragement, their support, 377 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: their prayers. I know this. Me and God are a majority. 378 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: If God be for me, who dare be against me? 379 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go get my bananas. Start encouraging yourself. I'm strong, 380 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: I'm talented, I'm well able. I'm coming into my wide open, 381 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,879 Speaker 1: spacious life. A friend of mine told how when he 382 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: was six years old, the teacher gave the class an assignment. 383 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: They had to write down what they wanted to be 384 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 1: when they grew up. He had seen a man on 385 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: television that was very funny, and that was his dream. 386 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 1: As a little boy. He knew he wanted to be 387 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: on television making people laugh. He wrote it down. He 388 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: came from a low income family or hand me down clothes, 389 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: plus he had a problem with stuttering. The teacher started 390 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: calling out the kids' names out loud and reading what 391 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 1: they had written down, But when she came to his 392 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: she stopped and said, Stevie, will you please come up here. 393 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: He walked to the front of the class, so proud, 394 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 1: thinking that she was going to encourage him, cheer him on. 395 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 1: It's just the opposite. She said, Stevie, what did you 396 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: write down? He said, I wrote down that I want 397 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: to be on television making people laugh. She said, now, Stevie, 398 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: do you know anybody on television? He said no, ma'am. 399 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: She said, Stevie, has anyone in your family ever been 400 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: on television? He said no, ma'am. She said, then you 401 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: need to take this back and write down something more realistic. 402 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,719 Speaker 1: As a six year old boy, he was confused. Up 403 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: to that point. Nobody had ever told him what he 404 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: couldn't become. And this teacher, I'm sure she met well, 405 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 1: but like these monkeys, she was pulling him down. You 406 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: can't do that. Nobody in this school does that. That night, 407 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: Stevie told his father what happened, showed him the paper 408 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: that he had written down he wanted to be on television. 409 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: His father said, Stevie, put this in your top drawer 410 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: every morning before you go to school. Every night before 411 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: you go to bed, you get this paper out and 412 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: read it and thank God that one day you will 413 00:24:54,880 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: be on television. He did that, year after year after today, 414 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: many years later, my friend Steve Harvey is on television 415 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 1: seven days a week, making people laugh. A great inspiration. 416 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: Who told you you can't do something great? Who told 417 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: you you can't accomplish your dreams, Who told you you'll 418 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: never overcome that illness? Don't let the monkeys of life 419 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 1: keep you from your destiny. Steve could easily be living 420 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,640 Speaker 1: a small life if he'd have let those words take root, 421 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 1: gone around thinking about them. That would have kept him 422 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 1: from God's best. If you're going to live a large life, 423 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: you have to delete the negative things that were spoken 424 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: over you. You are not who people say you are. 425 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: You are who God says you are. Don't let what 426 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: they said contain you. For instance, you're just a C student. 427 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: Delete that you're an a student. You'll never get out 428 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 1: of debt, Delete that you will lend and not borrow, 429 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: you can't accomplish your dreams, that you can do all 430 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 1: things through Christ. You're not talented, you're not attractive, Delete 431 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,120 Speaker 1: that you are fearfully and wonderfully made friends. People don't 432 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: have the final say God does, and he says, I've 433 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 1: prepared for you a wide open, spacious life. Now get 434 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:20,159 Speaker 1: rid of the old wine skins, start throwing out your nets. 435 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: This is a new day. God wants to take you 436 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: where you've never been. He wants to show you something 437 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: that you've never seen. If you will start living large, 438 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: I believe and declare you're going to see new doors 439 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: begin to open, new talent come out of you, new friendships, 440 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: new opportunities, a new level of your destiny in Jesus's name, 441 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 1: And if you receive it, can you say amen? We 442 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: never like to close our broadcast without giving you an 443 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would 444 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent 445 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 1: of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 446 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,399 Speaker 1: my lord and save you. Friends, If you prayed that 447 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 1: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 448 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. He's 449 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: going to take you where you've never dreamed. Each week 450 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: I stand on this stage and remind you of what 451 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: God says about you. Because it's easy to be defined 452 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: by who people say we are, or by our own 453 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: negative thoughts that were not talented or problems too big. 454 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: The key is to go back to who God says 455 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: you are Now. I love to send you by new 456 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: book one hundred and one Great Things that God Says 457 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: about You. I'll help you discover your true identity. God 458 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: says you're blessed, You're chosen, You're forgiven, you have seeds 459 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,439 Speaker 1: of greatness. Your future is bright. When you get in 460 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: agreement with God and declare his promises, you'll rise higher 461 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: and become all you were created to be. 462 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 2: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 463 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 2: of any amount this month, we would like to send 464 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 2: you a copy of Jewels brand new resource one hundred 465 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 2: and one Things God Says about You Faith reminders when 466 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 2: you need them most. As you read and reflect the 467 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,640 Speaker 2: story of your life, the way you see yourself will 468 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 2: radically change. It will become a reflection of God himself 469 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 2: and what He says about you. Use this resource to 470 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 2: encourage your heart and remind you of who you are 471 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 2: in Him. You are everything God says about you within 472 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 2: these pages. So read it, experience it, and believe it. 473 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 2: As an added bonus, you can detach the beautiful poster 474 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 2: at the back of the book to read and declare 475 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 2: these reminders every day. Yes, you are who God says 476 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,719 Speaker 2: you are. Now is your time to start believing it. 477 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of one hundred and 478 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 2: one Things God Says About You. Visit Joelostein dot com 479 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 2: or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 480 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: As you dwell on what God says about you, You're 481 00:28:56,240 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: going to see yourself for who you really are. Strong, talented, valuable, 482 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: a victor never a victim. Victoria and I want you 483 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: to know that we love you and we pray for 484 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: you every day. And thanks so much for your prayer 485 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: and support. Your generosity is helping people around the world. 486 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: Special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for 487 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: your monthly support. If you're not a partner, I hope 488 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: you'll consider becoming one. Remember you can watch the services 489 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 1: online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on 490 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: Serious ExM, watch our YouTube channel and the new jewel 491 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: Ostein network, streaming twenty four hours a day until we 492 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: meet again mid The Lord bless you and keep you. 493 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of one hundred and 494 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 2: one Things God Says About You. Visit Joelostein dot com 495 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 2: or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for 496 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: an additional donation. This month, we are also offering one 497 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 2: hundred and one Great Things God Says About You card set. 498 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 2: These cards can serve as daily reminders of who God 499 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 2: says you are. Additionally, you can request the beautiful copy 500 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 2: of the Passion Translation, Power, Provision, and Peace. This book 501 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 2: brings fresh insight and deeper understanding to the Early Church's journey, 502 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 2: Paul's teachings, and the practical application of faith in daily life. 503 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 2: You can request these unique resources by calling eight eight 504 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 2: eight five six seven Joel or logging on to jolostein 505 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 2: dot com today. Call or click anytime, twenty four hours 506 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 2: a day discover your true identity in Christ. Request your 507 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 2: copies today